Keyless lock



lil

Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

tense MEADE WLDRCK, F SAVANNAH, GURGIA, 'SSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO THE CGll'lPANY, 0F HARTFORD, COISTNEC'TICUT, A CORPORATON GFCONNECTICUT.

KEYLESS LOCK.

Application filed November 14, 1924. Serial N'o. 749,924.

This invention relates to keyless locks of the general type shown in myprior Patent No. 1,373,263,4 granted March 29, 1921 and has for one ofits objects to provide a lock of this character which will be simple inconstruction, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and veryeiiicient in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a somewhat differentform of permutation wheel and bolt controlled thereby which will readilylend itself to use in various types of locks such for example, asautomobile locks of all kinds, baggage locks, safe locks, builders7hardware locks, locks for oflice equipment and in fact any sort of lockwhere permutation wheels may beeinployed.

lV ith the above and other objects in view,`

which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists inthe novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fullyhereinafter'` described and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

Referring to the aecon'ipanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification in which like reference characters designate like parts inall the views t- Figure l is a vertical sectional view through a doorlock embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view at right angles thereto.

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the bolt constituting animportant feature of this invention.

Figure 4l is a similar view of the bolt sleeve.

Figure 5 is a detail cross sectional view taken approximately on theplane indicated by 5 5 of Figure 1 and Y Figure 6 is a fragmentarysectional view of a slightly modified term of permutation wheel.v

Figure?- is a conventional representation of an operating connectionbetween the latch Ll1 and the spindle 37.

i In the said drawings, the `numeral 10 indicates generally a casing orhousing which may take the form of a hollow casting open at its rearside, which open side may be closed by the plate 11, secured to thecasing 10 as by the screws 12. The casing 10 is provided with ahorizontal partition wall 13 which divides the interior space into twocompartments 1a and 15, in the former of which is located thepern'iutation wheels 16. The said wheels are rotatably mounted upon thebolt 17, the head 18 of which is positioned within the lowervcompartment 15, while the shaft 19 oit' the said bolt projects upwardlythrough the partition wall 13 and into the compartment la as will beclear from Figure-1.

As is best shown in Figures 1 and 3, the said bolt comprises the head 18which is in the form of a substantially rectangular plate, while themajor portion of the shaft 19 is also dat and is provided with asubstantially cylindrical portion 20, whichextends only a portion of thelength of the shaft. The fiat portion of the shaft 19 is provided with aplurality of lugs or projections 21 which coact with the permutationwheels 16 to control the bolt action, which will appear more fullybelow. l i

The shaft portion 19 of the bolt is enclosed in a split sleeve 22 havingthe slot 23 extending longitudinally thereof and the said permutationwheels 16 are mount d upon this sleeve and rotate thereon, therebyrelieving the bolt shaft proper from the wear incidental to themanipulation of the wheels. The bore 24 of the sleeve is of suchdiameter as to receive the cylindrical portion 2O of the boltand topermit the saine to slide therein, it being understood that the linportion 25 of the bolt shaft slides in the slot 23.

The permutation wheels 16` as above stated, are rotatably mounted on thesleeve 22 and their inner cirouinferences are Vprovided with thecircumferential grooves 26 and 27 spaced apart to form a rib 28 betweenthem. These ribs are in turn provided with axially extending slots orkey-ways 29 affording communication through the ribs between thecircumferential grooves 26 and 27 whereby the projections or lugs 21 ofthe bolt may be moved from the grooves 26 into the grooves 2T andviceversa.

The wheels 16 are also provided with the reduced hub portions 30, theexterior circumferences ot' which bear the longitudinally extendingnotches 31 which coact with suitable detent springs 82 to maintain thewheels in any desired set positions.

The head 18 of the bolt is provided with an elongated slot 85 and with apair of eine projections 36 will teclear ,troni Eig 17 spindle Q and 3.An operating shatt or 37 passes through the slot and carries at eitherend1 the door knobs 88 shoivn in Figure Said shaft or spindle 37 may beVmade in one piece if desired. although it preferably comprises the Welllinoivu split, or tivo piece construction whereby it is possible tomanipulate the lock at all times from the inside, While permittinpT otsuch manipulation from the outside ot the door, only when theV bolt l?is unlock-effi through the proper settingl ot' the permutation wheels.

The spindle or ,Chatt- 37 which is preterably square in cross sectionhas rigidly secured to it` immediately adjacent the bolt head 18, thecam member #l0 which is adapted to coact with the pins 36 carried by thesaid bolt when the spindle is oscillated to raise rthe bolt, when thepermutation wheels are set to the proper combination.

he catch men'iber Yil may be ot the usual well lfnoivn construction andmay be connected to the spindle 3T through the usual Well laznovvnmechanism in euch manner' s to iorm a spring; latch which, ot itself.forms no part ot the present invention. One conventional form ot suchmechanism illuitrated in Figure 7. lt comprises a sleeve 4:2 on thyspindle il?. having` oppositely-dinposee lingers 415%, in engagingrelation 'ith lugs ist extending' laterally Yfrom the 'torlted ends 46ot a bolt il?, one end ot which carries the catch member Lil. 'Onrotatinar one or" the lmebs 3S in either direction the holt andconnected latch member are Withdrawn as a resultoiE the cam actionhetiveen one ot the lingers and the co-operatingl lug 44.

its above stated, thecylindrical portion Q() ot the bolt shaft extendsonly a portion ot the length oit the said sha'lt thereby leaving; theother end ot' the sleeve 22 '.inoceupied, and into this portion ot thesleeve there may be intrmlucedy a coil spring` which normally urges theboltdon'nn'ardly as vieived in Figure l, to the locked position.

The operation of the present loci; will be clear from the foregoing. butit may be liriely summarized as vl'olloivs:-..;trssuming the parts to bein a locked position, that is, vv'ith the lugs or projections 2l inaline-- ment ivith the cireum'terential grooves 2T ot' the permutationWheels, it' the said Wheels are setto the proper combination to brine'the longitudinal lzeyvvays into vertical alinernent. with the said lugsthen any turning movement ot the door knobs 3S will be transmittedthrough the spindle 3T and the cam member 1f (l to one or the other otthe pins 36 carried by the bolt head ,1.8 to move the bolt upwardly tothe position shown in Fixture l. Duriner this movement, the lugs il willpass through thel axially extending' lteyivays 2Q from thecircumferential grooves 27 to the grooves 26 and should it be desired tolock the parts in this position one or more ot the permutation discs maybe rotated to move the vertical keyways 9.9 out etY alinement With thesaid lugs. lVhen the wheels 1G have heen again set to theproperconibinatier7 the spring' Ll5 will torce the bolt in the oppositedirection, providing of course, the turning torce has been removed tromthe door knob 3S and Will return the' lugs 2l through the keyivays 29 tothe grooves 27. The parts may then be locked in this position by simplymovingw one or more of the permutation wheels.

ln Fig-ure @there is-shown a slightly modified form ot Wheel in whichthe hub 3l) is made ot a slightly increased dia meter and is proiideduponits inner circumlerence with an annular rib 50` which provif. thenecessary circumferential grooves 5l and on either side thereof. Thecoimnunication between t-he'g'rooves 5l ano 52 may be a 'complishedthroue'h the longitudinal l-:eyivay cut through this rib,

.llhile the perimitation wheels have been illustrated as beine,-provided with ribs 2S having plain surfaces, it will el" course beobvious that it desired. these Wheels may be provided with theshi'ttable indicia bearing rings shown in my latent No. 1579.0464,'ranted March 8th 1926. entitled Keyless locks andpermutation Wheelsfor the same, and with arcuately-spaced Afalse recesses or slots such asare disclosed in my eo-pending application, Serial No. Z4-6,178, tiled:October Q7 1924 and' entitledflllheel Yfor keyless loclrs; also that itwould be perfectly tea..- ible to employ the bolt struc-ture similar tothat shown inthe patent ot Meade VVildric and Alexander G.. Hatcln. No.LGJEQ, granted December 8, '1925, and entitled Keyless locks. It isfurther obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the precisedetails ol construction as Well as the 4arraneement 'ot' parts,v withoutdepart-ingv from the spirit or" the invention and it is t'l'ieret'orenot wished to be limited to the above disclosure` except as may berequired by the appended claims.

Having? thus described my. invention what I claim as nevv is z- A Y l.A, loci; comprising a mount-ing member, a latch mechanism including'v amanipulator and a latch movable thereby 'from an effect-ive to anineliective position, and a lock mechanism comprising a locking membermovable into and out ot a direct movementobstructing` relation with almovable part ot' said latch mechanism, whereby said latch mechanism maybe converted into a loch, and a permutation mechanism to control theeffective movement ot said locking member, said mechanism comprisingpairs of movementsobstructing elements. each pair comprising an elementcarried by said locking e es Lit) member and an element mounted in saidmounting member, one ot the elements ot' each pair having parts sodisposed as to lie in the path of movement ot a part ot the other,except when one ot said elements is set in a: predetermined positionwith respect to the other, the settable elements being` t'reely movableout of their set positions when said locking member is either in or outot its movement-obstructing relation with respect to said latchmechanism.

2. A lock comprising a mounting member, a spring latch mechanismcomprising a manipulator and a latch adapted to be snapped into engagingrelation with a keeper and removed therefrom by said manipulator, and alock mechanism comprisinga locking member movable intol and out of adirect moven'ient-obstructing relation with a movable part ot said latchmechanism, whereby said latch mechanism may be converted into a lock anda permutation mechanism to control the eiiective movement ot' saidlocking member, said mechanism comprising pairs of movement-obstruct:ngelements, each pair comprising an element carried by said locking memberand an element mounted in said mountingl member, one oit the elements oteach pair having' parts so disposed as to lie in the path of movement ofa part ot' the other, except When one otI said elements is set in apredetermined position with respect to the other, the settable elementsbeing freely movable out of their set positions when said locking memberis either in or out of its movement-obstructing relation with respect tosaid latch mechanism.

3. A lock comprising a mounting member, a latch mechanism including amanipulator and a latch movable thereby 'trom an elfective to anineffective position, a lock mechanism comprising a locking membermovable into and out of a direct movementobstructing relation with amovable part of said latch mechanism, whereby said latch mechanism maybe converted into a lock, and a permutation mechanism to control theeile'tive movement of said locking member, said mechanism comprisingpairs of movement-obstructing elements, each pair comprising an elementcarried by said locking member and an element mounted in said mounting`member, one of the elements of each pair having parts so disposed as tolie in the path oi' movement of a part of the other, except when one ofsaid elements is set in a predetermined position with respect to theother. the settable elements being treel)v movable out ot their setpositions when said locking member is either in or out ot itsmovement-obstructing relation with respect to said latch mechanism,thereby preventing movement of said locking member from either positionto the.

other Without rst resetting said settable elements, motive means capableof moving said locking member, when not restrained by said permutatibnmechanism, into its movement-obstructing relation with said latchmechanism and normally tending to maintain it there, and an operating`connection between said manipulator and said locking member whereby thelatter maybe moved by the tormer out oi its movementobstructing positionagainst the opposing effort ot said motive means except when held fastby said permutat'on mechanism.

4. In a keyless lock, at rotatable boit-opermentshaving clearanceways sodisposed as to receive the opposed portions of said locking` clement andpermit a spindle-releasing movement to be imparted thereto only aftersaid tumblers have Vbeenset in'accordance with a predeterminedcombination.

5. In a keyless lock, a rotatable bolt-operating spindle, aspindle-locking element movableinto and out ot an eiiiective lockingposition, said spindle and its locking element having opposed parts eachmovable into the path of movement of the other and of such relativeforms and proportions as to constitute a driving connection whereby saidlocking element, if free, may be moved out of its eiective position by arotation of said spindle in either direction, but, it held fast, Willprevent such rotation, motive means tending to maintain said lockingelement in its effective positionand to return it thereto when removedtherefrom, and permutation tumblers having lock-controlling elementsmovable into the paths of spindlereleasing movement of partsot saidlocking element, said lock-controlling elements having clearancevvays sodisposed as to receive the opposed portions of said locking element andpermit a spindle-releasing movement to be imparted thereto only aftersaid tumblers have been set in accordance with a predeterf minedcombination.

6. In a. keyless lock, a rotatable bolt-operA ating spindle, aspindle-locking element moveable into and out of' an eitective lockingposition, said spindle and its locking' element having opposed parts ofappropriate. relative size and t'orm to prevent rotation ot said spindlein either direction when said locking element is held fast in itsett'ective position, but permitting a spindle rotation of not less than30 degrees in either direction when said locking element is free, mo-

tive means tending to maintain said locking element in its effectiveposition and to return it theretowvhen removed therefrom, andpermutation tumblers having lock-controlling` elements movable into thepaths of spindle-releasing; movement ot parts of ot said lockingelement, said lock-controlling` eicments having clearanceivays sodisposedas toreceive the opposed portions of said locking elementJ andpermit a spindle-releasing movement to be imparted thereto only aftersaid tumblers have been set in accordance With a predeterminedcombination.

7. In a keyless lock, a rotatable bolt-operating spindle, aspinclle-lo^king element movable into and out of an effective lockingposition, said spindle and its locking element having opposed-parts ofappropriate relativer size and form to prevent rotation or said spindlein either direction when said locking elementis held fast in itseffective position, but perniitting' a spindle rotation of approximatelyi5 degrees in either direction When'said locking; element is free,motive means'tendingr to maintian said locking' element in its effectiveposition and to return it thereto when removed therefrom, andpermutation tumblers having lock-controlling elements movable into thepaths oi' spindlereleasing movement of parts of said locking element,said lock-controlling elements having clearanceways so disposed as toreceive the opposedA portions ot saidv locking element and permit akspindle-releasing movement to be imparted thereto onlj,7 after saidtumblers have been set in accordance with a predetermined combination.

8. A loc-k comprising a mounting member,

va latch mechanism including` a bolt and a each pair having' parts-sodisposed as to lie in the path ot movement of a part of the other,except When one of said elements is set in a predetermined position withrespect to the other, the settable elements being freely movable out oftheir set positions when said locking;r member is either in or out ofits movement-obstructing relation With respect to said latch mechanism.

MEADE WILDnroK.

